Toronto Mayor Rob Ford: I Was Totally Not Smoking Crack In That Video In Which I'm Allegedly Seen Smoking Crack

Yesterday Ford fired his chief of staff, reportedly for telling him to go into drug rehab. As New York Magazine observes, today's denial is "hardly categorical."

Mormon Church Issues Statement Backing New Inclusive Boy Scouts Policy

The Mormon Church has issued a qualified statement in support of the Boy Scouts' decision to allow openly gay members. According to the statement, the LDS has always welcomed abstinent gay boys into Mormon-sponsored troops.

For the past 100 years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has enjoyed a strong relationship with Boy Scouts of America, based on our mutual interest in helping boys and young men understand and live their duty to God and develop upright moral behavior. As the Church moves forward in its association with the Boy Scouts of America, Church leaders will continue to seek the most effective ways to address the diverse needs of young people in the United States and throughout the world.

Sexual orientation has not previously been – and is not now – a disqualifying factor for boys who want to join Latter-day Saint Scout troops. Willingness to abide by standards of behavior continues to be our compelling interest. These standards are outlined in the booklet For the Strength of Youth and include abstinence from sexual relationships. We remain firmly committed to upholding these standards and to protecting and strengthening boys and young men.

PUERTO RICO: Sweeping LGBT Rights Bill Passes, Heads For Governor's Desk

Via press release from the National Lesbian & Gay Task Force: 

The Puerto Rican House of Representatives today approved a sweeping nondiscrimination bill that protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in employment, housing, governmental services, public accommodations and private entities. Last week, the Senate approved the bill in a 15-11 vote and Gov. Alejandro García Padilla has vowed to sign the bill into law. The House today also approved a bill to add protections for sexual orientation, marital status and gender identity to the domestic violence law. It now moves to the Senate.

Local activist Pedro Julio Serrano applauds:

“Today is a thrilling day in Puerto Rican history. A decade ago, LGBT Puerto Ricans were criminals under the sodomy law, today we’re second-class citizens and when this bill is signed into law, we will be closer to achieving the first-class citizenship that we deserve. Equality is inevitable. Puerto Rico will be for all.”

AFA's Bryan Fischer: Leaders Of The Boy Scouts Deserve To Be Drowned

Luke 17:2: "It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble." 

Florida Teen Rejects Plea Deal On Charge Of Sexual Assault On Another Girl

Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, today rejected a plea offer from Florida prosecutors and will go to trial on charges that her consensual relationship with a younger female schoolmate constituted sexual assault.

Hunt was romantically involved with a high school basketball teammate who was 14 when they began dating last year. The other teen's parents moved to press charges against the 18-year-old Hunt, and she was arrested in February and eventually expelled from Sebastian River High School. A conviction could land Hunt in prison for 15 years. A plea deal would have kept her on probation for two years but still could have potentially derailed her future goals to be a nurse. Julia Graves, the attorney for the Hunt family, read a statement shortly before noon Friday following Hunt's decision: "Our client is a courageous teenager who is choosing not to accept the current plea offer by the state of Florida," Graves said. "It's a situation of two teenagers who happen to be of the same sex involved in a relationship. If this case involved a boy and a girl, we don't believe there'd be the media attention to this case."

The prosecutor's offer had included two years of house arrest and a guilty plea to child abuse. Florida's age of consent is 18, but "close age" relationships are exempt if the older party is under 24 and the younger is 16 or older.  Hunt's case has garnered international attention and over 100,000 signatures on a supportive petition.

Matt Barber Loves You

Matt Barber believes you are a diseased, perverted, pedophilia-prone, culture-destroying monster who will die decades early and then be righteously cast into an eternal lake of fire. And therefore every lie about you, no matter how outrageous, is worth saying. But he still loves you.

Ten Minutes Of The Oklahoma Tornado

Amazing and terrifying footage.

Brian Brown Has The Boy Scouts Sadz

"Today is a sad day for the Boy Scouts of America. They have succumbed to political pressure and abandoned their historic roots in what will prove to be a failed attempt to appease gay activists and corporate donors. Unfortunately, what they have done is said to the world that their oath no longer means much. Their decision to admit openly gay scouts will end up sexualizing the organization. I am certain that having changed their policy on homosexuality, it's only a matter of time before courts order them to admit homosexual scout leaders. Meanwhile, countless thousands of churches will very likely pull their sponsorship rather than endorse homosexuality, and the entire organization will begin to collapse. All of this is happening not because of a true grassroots demand of gay youth to be part of the organization but by an orchestrated political effort by gay activists who want to punish any group or organization that does not embrace homosexuality. It's the beginning of the end for what once was one of America's noblest organizations." - Hate group leader Brian Brown, in a statement posted today on NOM's blog.

New Fake App: iNotRacist

(Via Boy Culture)

Action Alert: Contact Your IL Rep

Illinois Unites writes:

We only have until Friday, May 31st to pass the freedom to marry. It's time, Illinois. Passing SB10 in the House is the only hurdle that stands between Illinois becoming the 13th state where same-sex couples can share in the freedom to marry -- and we only have a matter of days left to pass this crucial legislation before the General Assembly adjourns on May 31st. Your Representative needs to hear from you every single day until marriage for same-sex couples becomes law in Illinois! Even if you've messaged them before, they need to hear from you again.

Do it right now.

Atheists Raise Money For Tornado Victim

The American Humanists Association has launched a fundraising page to help rebuild the Oklahoma home of atheist tornado victim Rebecca Vitsmun, who made international news after graciously rebuffing CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer's questions about "thanking the Lord" for sparing the lives of her family.  (Tipped by JMG reader Bentley)

Headline Of The Day

Details. (Tipped by JMG reader David)

Mark Carson Vs Jodi Arias

Carlos Maza writes at Equality Matters:

According to an Equality Matters analysis, while all three major cable news networks extensively covered Arias’ trial and her plea to jurors to avoid the death penalty, CNN spent less than one minute discussing Carson’s murder, and Fox News ignored the story completely. Only MSNBC devoted a full segment to Carson’s murder, rightly pointing out the recent surge in anti-gay violence even as LGBT people win legislative battles across the country. So what explains the failure of major cable news networks to cover Carson’s story?

For some networks, the decision to ignore the Carson case and focus on the Arias trial likely has more to do with ratings than anything else. Arias’ plea to avoid the death penalty was a ratings gold mine for cable news networks, despite the substantive portion of her trial having been over for weeks. For Fox, ignoring Carson’s murder fits into the network’s larger pattern of downplaying anti-LGBT violence and harassment while peddling trivial anti-equality horror stories.

Read the full story by Maza.

Fox Host Andrea Tantaros: Punch Obama Supporters In The Face For Me

"Let me tell you how journalists are being treated these days: They’re being stalked, they’re being spied on. This is what is happening to our press. This is Obama’s America! It’s like the Soviet Union. He said he would change the country. He said it. He said it. And a lot of people voted for him. And if you see any of those people today, do me a favor: punch them in the face." - Fox News' The Five host Andrea Tantaros, speaking yesterday on her syndicated radio show.

FEMEN Mock Notre Dame Suicide

Yesterday a member of the Ukraine-based group FEMEN went topless at the altar of Notre Dame Cathedral and posed with a toy gun pointed at her mouth. The demonstration mocked the Tuesday suicide of anti-gay activist Dominque Venner at the same location. The message on the woman's chest reads: "May fascist rest in hell."

TRAILER: Rapture-Palooza

HuffPo: Eric Holder Must Go

Regrettably, I must agree.

HomoQuotable - Kevin DuJan

"If you’ve ever known anyone who is a drug addict, you’d see it’s obvious that Barack Obama was high on cocaine the night of Benghazi; it is the only logical explanation for his disappearance and the White House’s refusal to comment on what he was doing at the time.  Since this was a night of great crisis for our country, the only logical reason that the White House won’t explain where the president was is if this man was high as a kite on illegal narcotics at the time. He reappeared again the next day, briefly, before jetting off to fabulous Las Vegas for a fun-and-games fundraiser event he had scheduled there (where, it also should be noted, not only Chippendales but also Thunder From Down Under male revues are regularly held.)" - Homocon blogger Kevin DuJan, always on the crazy train.

WEDNESDAY: First French Gay Wedding

France will see its first same-sex wedding on Wednesday.

On Wednesday May 29, Vincent Autin and Bruno Boileau from Montpellier will become the first gay couple to marry in France, at City Hall of Montpellier on Wednesday, May 29, Time TBA , 1 Place Georges Frêche. Vincent, 40 and Boileau, 30, met 7 years ago through their love of music. Both are fans of singer Christophe Willem and were members of the an online fan forum. Three of the ten members of the fan club decided to meet in Paris, two of them happened to be Vincent and Boileu. Vincent and Boileu hit it off right away. The third member of the fan club left them at the restaurant where they continued to talk. The next day, they met again, and their love for each other has been growing strong ever since.

More about the couple (in French) can be read here.

I-5 Bridge Collapses In WA

Amazingly, no one was killed. 

Washington state Department of Transportation spokesman Travis Phelps told KOMO-TV that investigators are looking into the possibility that an oversize load struck the bridge and triggered the collapse. The collapse will raise questions about the nation's infrastructure, which has been a popular issue with President Barack Obama, who earlier this year warned against "raggedy" roads and wants to focus more money on rebuilding to improve the economy.

The bridge was built in 1955 and was rated "functionally obsolete" three years ago.

Today's NYC Tabloids

Like I said, this will never end.

Gay Marriage Causes Unwed Mothers

"Marriage is decaying so rapidly that it’s hard to pinpoint gay marriage as the cause. We can point out that the young, precisely the group most committed to gay marriage as a social ideal, do (and to me not surprisingly) increasingly disconnect marriage and children. The change in the law is a marker of the underlying cultural shift, and the campaign for gay marriages crystalize a particular vision of what marriage is and why it is valuable. All that may be debateable, but can we at least agree the noble dream of Jonathan Rauch, David Brooks, and others that gay marriage will strengthen marriage as a social institution just doesn‘t happen?" - Maggie Gallagher, blaming gays for Holland's rate of unwed mothers. Or something. (Tipped by JMG reader Christopher)

Barbara Buono For New Jersey Governor

New Jersey state Sen. Barbara Buono faces very long odds against the nation's most popular governor. Recent polls show Christie beating her by more than 2-1.

From Seattle's Mayor

Anthony Weiner For Mayor Of Pittsburgh

The Weiner campaign was embarrassed yesterday when Pittsburgh bloggers noticed that the banner on his website featured the silhouetted skyline of their city and not New York.  The bottom image above is the one that Weiner's site designers apparently used. The company has apologized for their "honest mistake" and has updated the site with actual photos of Gotham.

Quote Of The Day - E.W. Jackson

"I say the things that I say because I’m a Christian, not because I hate anybody, but because I have religious values that matter to me. Attacking me because I hold to those principles is attacking every church-going person, every family that’s living a traditional family life, everybody who believes that we all deserve the right to live. So I don’t have anything to rephrase or apologize for. I would just say people should not paint me as one-dimensional." - E.W. Jackson, GOP nominee for Virginia lieutenant governor, standing by his declaration that gay people are perverted and sick.

This Will Never End

I just noticed Wednesday's NYDN front page.

Anti-Gay Scouting Group Has The Sadz

"The saddest part of today’s decision is what the organization is teaching our children and young people in the program. The BSA is teaching our kids that when your values become unpopular, just change them. The BSA is teaching our kids that when your convictions are challenged, just cave to peer pressure. The BSA is teaching our kids that public opinion polls are more important than principles. Today, the BSA is teaching our kids that you should not stand up for what is right instead you should stand up for what is popular. OnMyHonor.Net along with other likeminded organizations, parents and BSA members, are announcing a coalition meeting that will take place next month in Louisville, Kentucky. There we will discuss the creation of a new character development organization for boys." - John Stemberger, founder of On My Honor.

Tony Perkins Has The Boy Scouts Sadz

"BSA councils, Scouting parents, and leaders of the faith-based organizations that charter over two-thirds of the packs and troops, must now decide how to respond to this moral compromise. Many will separate from the organization so that they can continue to foster character among boys and respect the right of parents to discuss issues of sexuality with their sons.It is clear that the current BSA leadership will bend with the winds of popular culture, and the whims of liberal special interest groups. There is little doubt that God will soon be ushered out of scouting. Now is the time for new leadership. In the meantime, we will stand with those BSA Councils who will now act to protect boys from a new policy that only creates moral confusion and disrespects the views of the vast majority of Scouting parents." - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, writing on the Family Research Council site.

LGBT Groups React To Boy Scouts Change

Scouts For Equality

“The Boy Scouts of America can do better,” said Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout and Executive Director of Scouts for Equality. “We welcome the news that the ban on gay Scouts is history, but our work isn’t over until we honor the Scout Law by making this American institution open and affirming to all.”

Human Rights Campaign

Today is a historic day for Boy Scouts across the country who want to be a part of this great American institution. But the new policy doesn’t go far enough. Parents and adults of good moral character, regardless of sexual orientation, should be able to volunteer their time to mentor the next generation of Americans.

Family Equality Council

"Every Boy Scout, on their honor, first pledges to do their best,” said Family Equality Council Spokesman Steve Majors. “This is a step in the right direction, but it’s not the best the Boy Scouts can do. The Boy Scouts of America have sent a hurtful message to Scouts with LGBT parents that their moms and dads are not welcome as leaders alongside other parents. As a father of two girl scouts and the proud partner of an Eagle Scout, I know that Scouting has a long tradition of being a family activity and the Boy Scouts should be open to all our families.”

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

This vote marks a monumental step forward for the Boy Scouts of America. We are thrilled for the gay youth who will no longer be turned away from scouting simply because of who they are. As we celebrate this moment, we know the work isn’t complete. The Boy Scouts of America still discriminates against qualified adults who are denied the opportunity to participate in leadership positions because they are gay. Fairness is a fundamental American principle — it’s not to be sliced, diced, divvied up and dictated by prejudice.

GLAAD

This major victory for gay youth is thanks to you and the millions of other Americans who took action. Now we need you to share the news, and press for a full nondiscrimination policy. Gay youth can now participate in Scouting, which is a huge WIN. But gay Scout leaders - like former den mother Jennifer Tyrrell - are still banned from the Boy Scouts. This is the time to keep up the pressure. We won't stop until the Boy Scouts of America removes the ban on gay and lesbian parents and leaders.

Activists Have The Boy Scouts Gladz

Hate Groups Have The Boy Scouts Sadz

Boy Scouts OK Gay Members

The Boy Scouts of America have officially ended their ban on openly gay members.

The decision, which followed years of resistance and wrenching internal debate, was widely seen as a milestone for the Boy Scouts, a symbol of traditional America. More than 1,400 volunteer leaders from across the country voted, with more than 60 percent approving a measure that said no youth may be denied membership “on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”

The top national leaders of the Boy Scouts had urged the change in the face of vehement opposition from conservative parents and volunteers, some of whom said they would quit the organization. But the decision also put the scouts more in tune with the swift rise in public acceptance of homosexuality, especially among younger parents who are essential to the future of an institution that has been losing members for decades.

As the Scouts will continue to ban openly gay leaders, today's decision will not fully satisfy either side. But for now, let's celebrate this partial win and enjoy the imminent wave of the sadz.

UDPATE: Here is an excerpt from the formal statement on the policy change.

Based on growing input from within the Scouting family, the BSA leadership chose to conduct an additional review of the organization’s long-standing membership policy and its impact on Scouting’s mission. This review created an outpouring of feedback from the Scouting family and the American public, from both those who agree with the current policy and those who support a change.

“Today, following this review, the most comprehensive listening exercise in Scouting’s history the approximate 1,400 voting members of the Boy Scouts of America’s National Council approved a resolution to remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone. The resolution also reinforces that Scouting is a youth program, and any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting. A change to the current membership policy for adult leaders was not under consideration; thus, the policy for adults remains in place. The BSA thanks all the national voting members who participated in this process and vote.

Nevada Assembly Repeals Marriage Ban

As part of what will be a years-long road to marriage equality, today the Nevada Assembly repealed the constitutional ban.

The Assembly voted 27-14 Thursday in favor of SJR13 which repeals language in the Nevada Constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Voters adopted that language with the Protection of Marriage Act in 2002, but polls indicate a growing number of Nevadans have changed their minds. Some of the state's largest employers have also embraced changing the law.

The repeal passed in the state Senate last month.  The ban must again be repealed by both chambers in 2015 before it can be placed on the 2016 ballot.

NEW YORK CITY: Grand Jury Indicts Elliot Morales For Murder Of Mark Carson, Lawyer Claims Morales Was Sexually Abused As A Child

This afternoon a New York City grand jury formally indicted Elliot Morales (left) for the murder of Mark Carson. Multiple charges include second-degree murder as a hate crime. Morales' lawyer pleaded "not guilty" even though Morales bragged about the murder during his arrest.

The lawyer, Kevin Michael Canfield, later said Morales is not guilty of the slaying and is "devastated by the charges." "He didn't murder anybody," Canfield said, suggesting there were other factors at play. "He was sexually abused as a child by a male authority figure which led to a lifetime of alcoholism and drug abuse," Canfield told the Daily News, adding, "It's a terrible tragedy." "Look at you faggots, you look like gay wrestlers," Morales allegedly told victim Mark Carson and his friend minutes before policed say he shot Mark Carson, 32, in the head. Authorities said he callously laughed as he confessed to the random killing. His gleeful expression came as he allegedly told investigators, "I shot him in the face."

The Daily News notes that members of Carson's family were in the courtroom as the indictment was issued. Morales is being held without bail at Rikers.

Faith Healing Works Every Time

And just because you died anyway, that doesn't mean you weren't healed. This nut is the son of anti-gay crackpot John Hagee, who says that God sent Hurricane Katrina to smite gay New Orleans and that atheists don't deserve to live in the United States.

Jerry Lewis Disses Female Comedians

"I can’t see women doing that. It bothers me. I cannot sit and watch a lady diminish her qualities to the lowest common denominator. I just can’t do that." - Jerry Lewis, telling an interviewer at Cannes that he doesn't have any favorite female comedians because they are an embarrassment to motherhood. Or something. Lewis' comments have ignited a firestorm of criticism on Twitter, where noted female comics are weighing in under the #FuckUJerryLewis hashtag among others.

NYC Stonewall Democrats Endorse Quinn

Via press release:

The Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, the city’s leading LGBT party organization, will back City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for Mayor of New York City. The Speaker won the club’s endorsement in a landslide victory Wednesday evening, capturing 80% of the vote.

The city’s oldest LGBT Democratic organization joins a growing list of supportive LGBT groups, including the Empire State Pride Agenda’s Political Action Committee, The Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and a host of elected officials, including Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, State Senator Brad Hoylman.

“There’s no question that Speaker Quinn’s candidacy is a historic opportunity for New York City, but more important is her unmatched record of delivering for all New Yorkers,” said Stonewall Democratic Club President Melissa Sklarz.

RELATED: The National Stonewall Democrats went on an "indefinite hiatus" earlier this year due to lack of funding.

Tweet Of The Day - Matt Barber

BBC Recaps Marriage Battle

Including coverage of the "prayer warriors."

When All Else Fails....Estonia?

FRC Publishes Full-Page Anti-Gay Boy Scouts Ad In Dallas Morning News

The Boy Scouts are due to announce their decision today. Jeremy Hooper has details about this disgusting ad.

Glenn Beck: Atheists Planted That Tornado Survivor With CNN's Wolf Blitzer

Gov. Andrew Cuomo: Shame On New York City If They Elect Anthony Weiner

Well, Gov. Cuomo has certainly never been one to mince his words in the past.

Today, in an editorial board meeting with Cuomo and The Post-Standard and Syracuse Media Group, the governor was asked whether he thought the New York State Legislature should limit how long legislative leaders, like the Assembly speaker, should serve. Cuomo repeated a version of his opinion on term limits: he believe elections are the way to limit political service. The conversation continued between Cuomo and Stephen A. Rogers, chairman of Syracuse Media Group: Cuomo: "It's basically democracy. Those are grownups (in the Assembly) who are picking, who pick their leader." Rogers: "So if Anthony Weiner wants to run for mayor, he can run for mayor." Cuomo: "He runs? He runs." Rogers: "And if we elect him?" Cuomo: "Shame on us."

UPDATE: Closeted homosexual Matt Drudge is loving this.

Another Saucy Ad From K-Mart

Following up on their "I shipped my pants" campaign, K-Mart has launched the below ad which touts their "big gas savings." Stand by for another foaming missive from you-know-who.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ray)

What Teens Share On Social Media

The Pew Internet Project reports:

Teens are sharing more information about themselves on social media sites than they have in the past, but they are also taking a variety of technical and non-technical steps to manage the privacy of that information. Despite taking these privacy-protective actions, teen social media users do not express a high level of concern about third-parties (such as businesses or advertisers) accessing their data; just 9% say they are “very” concerned.

Cell phone numbers?

Frigide Barjot: I'm Afraid To Attend This Sunday's Anti-Gay Marriage Protest

Manif Pour Tous leader Frigide Barjot says she might not attend this Sunday's planned anti-gay marriage protest because the government has not committed to protecting her from pro-gay counter-protesters and members of France's extreme-right French Spring.

Barjot: "I get death threats, calls for aggression, and this morning - a handkerchief full of blood. At the moment, and as we do not have strong guarantees on the part of the police and organizers, I put my participation in doubt."

RELATED: On Tuesday, Dominique Venner, who was reportedly a follower of French Spring, committed suicide at the altar of Notre Dame Cathedral just hours after writing a blog post that denounced the just-finalized marriage equality bill. Venner's suicide note has now been released in full to the press.  An excerpt:

While many men are slaves of their lives, my gesture embodies an ethic of will. I give myself over to death to awaken slumbering consciences. I rebel against fate. I protest against poisons of the soul and the desires of invasive individuals to destroy the anchors of our identity, including the family, the intimate basis of our multi-millennial civilization. While I defend the identity of all peoples in their homes, I also rebel against the crime of the replacement of our people.

Venner goes on to apologize to his family, but says that one day they will understand his sacrifice.

UPDATE: The Daily Beast has posted a lengthy examination of Venner's history with France's fascist movement. A brief excerpt:

A veteran of French ethno-nationalist neo-fascist groups, Venner was a longtime militant of the far right who had gradually eased into a new life as a respected historian, known for his expertise on weapons and hunting. But his suicide manifesto, as well as a blog post he published earlier that morning, took him directly back to the dark themes that drove his life: the “great replacement of the people of France” and the prospect of France “falling into the hands of Islamists.” He praised an upcoming protest of France’s new law legalizing gay marriage, which he called “detestable.”

Singapore's Pink Dot: June 29th

Singapore's Pink Dot videos are always gorgeous. You are going to want a tissue for this one.

(Tipped by JMG reader Eugene)

You've Got To Be Carefully Taught: Kids' Book Explains How To Hate Gay People

Jeremy Hooper points out that the book bears a stamp of approval from the American Family Association.

Pope Francis: Atheists Can Go To Heaven

Speaking at his Wednesday Mass in Rome, yesterday Pope Francis likely upset a lot of people when he declared that even atheists can go to heaven if they are good people.

Using scripture from the Gospel of Mark, Francis explained how upset Jesus' disciples were that someone outside their group was doing good, according to a report from Vatican Radio. “They complain,” the Pope said in his homily, because they say, “If he is not one of us, he cannot do good. If he is not of our party, he cannot do good.” And Jesus corrects them: “Do not hinder him, he says, let him do good.” The disciples, Pope Francis explains, “were a little intolerant,” closed off by the idea of ​​possessing the truth, convinced that “those who do not have the truth, cannot do good.” “This was wrong . . . Jesus broadens the horizon.” Pope Francis said, “The root of this possibility of doing good – that we all have – is in creation.” "The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”

Who will be the first Catholic leader to denounce him?

From Catholic Online: 

The Holy Father is full of surprises, born of true and faithful humility. On Wednesday he declared that all people, not just Catholics, are redeemed through Jesus, even atheists.  However, he did emphasize there was a catch. Those people must still do good. In fact, it is in doing good that they are led to the One who is the Source of all that is good. In essence he simply restated the hope of the Church that all come to know God, through His Son Jesus Christ. These latest comments are consistent with Pope Francis' efforts to reach out to people of other faiths and of no faith at all. By emphasizing our common bonds, our Holy Father breaks down artificial barriers so that we may see, and love, one another more clearly.

Crazy Eyes: God Will Repeal Obamacare

"I think the President will ultimately be forced to repudiate his own signature piece of legislation because the American people will demand it. And I think before his second term is over, we’re going to see a miracle before our eyes, I believe God is going to answer our prayers and we’ll be freed from the yoke of Obamacare. I believe that’s going to happen and we saw step one last week with the repeal of Obamacare in the House. We have two more steps. We serve a mighty God and I believe it can happen." - Michele Bachmann, in a radio interview with hate group leader James Dobson, founder of Focus On The Family.

TRAILER: Don Jon

Written, directed, and starring the buff Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

TEXAS: Judge Rules That Divorced Woman Can't Cohabitate With Female Partner

Citing a morals clause in the woman's divorce decree, a Texas judge has ruled that she cannot live with her new female partner and still retain custody of her children. 

The clause is common in divorce cases in Texas and other states. It prevents a divorced parent from having a romantic partner spend the night while children are in the home. If the couple marries, they can get out from under the legal provision — but that is not an option for gay couples in Texas, where such marriages aren't recognized. The Dallas Morning News reported that in a divorce hearing last month for Carolyn and Joshua Compton, Collin County District Judge John Roach Jr. enforced the terms detailed in their 2011 divorce papers. He ordered Carolyn Compton's partner, Page Price, to move out of the home they shared with the Comptons' two daughters, ages 10 and 13. The judge gave Price 30 days to find another place to live.

After the ruling the ex-husband's lawyer said, "The fact that they can't get married in Texas is a legislative issue. It's not really our issue." Carolyn Compton says that she and her partner will obey the ruling even though they believe it to be unconstitutional. They are considering an appeal.

TRAILER: Star Trek, The Ultimate Saga

All twelve movies in one clip. Pretty cool. Further proof of the adage that "even numbered Star Treks don't suck" can be found in the current movie's reviews.

Museum Exhibition Opening On June 7th: AIDS in New York: The First Five Years

Opening June 7th at the New York Historical Society: 

AIDS in New York: The First Five Years will explore the impact of the epidemic on personal lives, public health and medical practices, culture, and politics in New York City and the nation. Drawing from the archives of the New York Public Library, New York University, and the National Archive of LGBT History, the show will use posters, photographs, and artifacts to tell the story of the early years of AIDS in New York.

The exhibition runs through September 15th.